Uplistsikhe – Tours to Uzbekistan & Central Asia

Uplistsikhe, Georgia

Uplistsikhe — one of the world’s oldest cave cities — stands as a remarkable testament to Georgia’s ancient heritage. This rock-hewn settlement, a unique combination of natural and man-made caves, is dramatically perched on the high left bank of the Kura River, approximately 12 kilometers southeast of Gori. The name “Uplistsikhe” translates from Georgian as “Fortress of the Lord” or “Fortress of the Ruler.”

At the height of its influence, Uplistsikhe encompassed more than 700 cave structures, about 150 of which have survived to the present day. In the 10th century AD, the city’s population is estimated to have reached 20,000 inhabitants. It was not until the 19th century that Uplistsikhe finally lost its city status and became deserted. Today, it remains one of Georgia’s most important archaeological and cultural landmarks — a vivid slice of history carved into stone.

History

Uplistsikhe emerged within the ancient kingdom of Iberia (also known as Kartli), one of the earliest eastern Georgian states. While the capital of Iberia was the sacred city of Mtskheta, Uplistsikhe evolved into a major religious center devoted to pagan worship. Pilgrims from across the kingdom would journey here to make offerings to a diverse pantheon of deities — including the goddess of the Sun and gods of fertility, the underworld, wealth, water, and fire. According to archaeological evidence, the first traces of the city date back to the late 2nd and early 1st millennia BCE.

Strategically nestled among cliffs above the river, the city’s location offered both natural defense and symbolic power. Hills, rocks, and flowing waters were long revered as places of spiritual energy and divine presence. As the city flourished, evidence reveals it developed active trade ties with major civilizations of the era, such as Urartu and Media.

In 337 AD, Christianity was declared the official religion of Georgia. This marked the beginning of a fierce conflict between the Christian centers like Mtskheta and the still-pagan Uplistsikhe. Once the stronghold of ancient beliefs, Uplistsikhe refused to submit to the new faith. The confrontation escalated into violent clashes. The city was eventually overtaken and partially destroyed; its inhabitants suffered persecution. One early Christian document unearthed by archaeologists even calls for the execution of Uplistsikhe’s pagan citizens in the name of spreading Christianity throughout Georgia.

Pagan temples were converted into Christian churches. The city’s main sanctuary — the Temple of the Sun, located at the highest point — was transformed into a Christian house of worship. Another grand pagan temple in the Central Square was remodeled into a three-nave basilica. While the Temple of the Sun no longer exists, the ruins of this basilica remain. On its foundations now stands the Uplistsuli Church, built in the 10th century. Yet, even after these conversions, clandestine worship of pagan gods and ritual animal sacrifices persisted in the city’s caves for many centuries.

Uplistsikhe regained prominence in the 9th century when Tbilisi fell under Arab control. At the time, the entire Kartli region was essentially centered around Uplistsikhe, which once again assumed a key political and strategic role. However, its control changed hands frequently — in the 840s, it passed from Georgian rulers to Arab invaders, later to Armenian influences, and then returned to Georgian hands. The city was severely damaged by the Seljuk Turks in 1080. After Georgia was liberated from Arab rule in 1122, King David the Builder restored Tbilisi as the capital, and Uplistsikhe began to fade into obscurity.

In the 13th and 14th centuries, Mongol invasions left Uplistsikhe in ruins. Southern fortifications were torn down, and surrounding forests burned. Its military function was lost and never restored. From the 14th century onwards, the site served mainly as a temporary refuge — a haven where villagers from the surrounding areas could hide in times of danger. In 1920, a powerful earthquake caused significant damage to the remaining structures. Archaeological restoration began in earnest in 1957, and by the 1950s, Uplistsikhe had emerged as a center of tourism.

City Layout

The city was originally built with a carefully planned layout. Its main gate opened onto a sacred road, and there were four total entrances aligned with the cardinal directions. The natural landscape contributed greatly to its defenses — a sheer cliff protected one side, while a defensive moat and high wall secured the others. In addition to homes, the city included temples, a theater, a wine cellar, and even a pharmacy. It boasted advanced infrastructure, including sewage systems, wells, and water channels.

During the Middle Ages, as the city’s religious role diminished, its architecture evolved. Temples became palaces or were repurposed for domestic needs, serving as bakeries, workshops, storage spaces, and dwellings.

Today, visitors can explore a variety of ancient structures carved into the rock. Uplistsikhe is elongated in shape, stretching along a hillside from south to north. Roughly in the middle lies the Church of Uplistsuli, a prominent landmark for orientation. A carved stone path leads uphill to it, flanked by cave chambers of varying shapes and sizes.

The Hall of Queen Tamar is a grand, two-columned chamber with arched niches and pilasters, repurposed in medieval times from an ancient pagan temple. Though associated with the beloved Georgian monarch, there is no conclusive evidence she ever resided there.

The Ancient Theater has only one surviving row of seats, but its ceiling is adorned with intricate patterns, and a prompter’s pit can still be seen on stage. The Makvliani Temple is the largest extant pagan temple in the city. Nearby, archaeologists discovered a chamber with shelves, cell-like alcoves, and a stone bath, which they named the “pharmacy” due to the herbs and powders found there — likely used for medicinal or cosmetic purposes.

The Uplistsuli Church — meaning “Church of the Prince” — was built in the 10th century atop the ruins of the city’s largest pagan temple. It has remained an active church since its founding. In the 18th century, a bell tower was added, and the structure was reinforced with a new brick façade. Adjacent to it lie the ruins of the original basilica, which may also have served as a coliseum where gladiator battles took place in pre-Christian times.

West of the church stands a single-column hall, possibly the home of a priest or other distinguished resident. It remains one of the best-preserved interiors on site.

The Red Temple, located above the Uplistsuli Church, stands out due to the distinct color of its stone. Within, a sculpted relief of a hand is preserved — the object of local legends, said to have been discovered right at that spot.

Gallery

…Also surviving to this day are the ruins of numerous cave dwellings, tunnels, stairs carved into the rock, and natural halls that bear witness to the extraordinary ingenuity of the city’s architects and inhabitants.

Visitors walking through Uplistsikhe today can still trace the ancient Sacred Road that begins at the main gates and weaves upward through the city, dividing it into Lower, Central, and Upper districts. Each section of this stone metropolis tells its own chapter of a story that spans millennia.

From the open courtyards where once noble families gathered, to the shadowy chambers where priests invoked their gods, Uplistsikhe breathes with a silent power. It is a place where pagan rituals once echoed through rock-cut shrines, and where the voice of the Christian faith later rose to fill the same halls.